Drinking tube



July 21, 195s 1'. L. JONES 2,646,311

DRINKING TUBE Filed April 10, 1950 INVENTOR- moy L. JONES BY 7% Tm,

ATTORNEYS to slide out of the glass.

DRINKING TUBE I Troy L. Jones, Columbia, S. 0. Application April 10, 1950, Serial No. 154,962

3 Claims. V 1 This invention is a drinking tube :of the general type commonly used by invalids and children.

The usual drinking tube is bent at an obtuse angle, as a result of which, when the drinking glass is tipped from the vertical, the tube tends In order to prevent this, various clips, clamps and holders have been 11 devised for holding the drinking tube in place.

In addition to the expense involved in making .such clips, clamps and holders, there is also the difficulty presented of keeping such devices aseptically clean. The importance of absolute cleanliness in an article of this character is obviously .of great importance, especially in hospitals.

ing glass, for preventing-the tube from slidingout of the glass, even when the glass is tipped ata sharp angle. 7 V

r This collar or abutment, as mentioned, is integral with and a part of the tube; therefore, it

is' cleaned and sterilized every time the tube is cleaned and sterilized. This collar or abutment presents no pockets or crevices in which germs and bacteria might collect.

This abutment or collar, considered from the 7 lower end of the tube, is located just beyond The portion 4 is of a length to reach to about the bottom of the drinking glass I ,0 and the obtuse angle 8 is a little below the upper rim l2 of the glass. 1 The collar or abutment M of the present invention is positioned just beyond the bend 8, considered from the bottom end of the tube, and is positioned, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4, to engage the inner edge of the rim l2 of the glass.

The collar or abutment I4 is integral with the body of the tube, the tube and collar being conveniently made of glass, although a suitable plasthe obtuse bend in thetube, so that, as noted 7 above, it will engage the inside of the upper rim of the glass. Even if the glass is tipped and at the same time swung laterally, the abutment en'- gaging against the rim'of the glass will prevent Fig. 4 shows another position of the tube in actual use.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing ficati'on. V n

Fig. 6 is a top view of the modification of Fig. 5. The drinking tube, indicated generally at 2, comprises a lower portion 4 and an upper portion a modi- 6 joined by the obtuse bend 8, the obtuse angle between portions 4 and 6 being approximately 125, although this angle can be varied.

tic could be used.

The surface of the collar l4 preferably merges with the surface of the tube along the curve l6,

thereby providing a stronger base for the collar and also providing a curved surface which is easy to keep clean.'

. With the described construction, the drinking tube, when in use, has its lower end in engagement with the sidewall of theglass, as shown in Fig. 4;, while the collar l4 engages the upper rim. With thisarrangement, the .glass can be tipped 5, and even from the vertical without the tube sliding out of the glass. In the modification shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the abutment l4, instead of encircling the tube, ex-

tends aboutonly one-third the distance aroundkept surgically clean, which will not slide. out of the glass in use and which requires no clamps, clips or holders for preventing such slippage.

I claim as my invention:

1. A drinking tube for the use of invalidsand children, comprising a tube bent at an' obtuse angle, said obtuse angle being adapted to be positioned Within the, glass with which it is used, and an abutment integral therewith, said abutment, considered from the lower end of the tube,

being positioned beyond the obtuse bend in the tube and extending outwardly from the tube a suflicient distance to engage the inside of the upper rim of a drinking glass, whereby the tube is prevented from sliding out of the glass even if the glass is tipped at a sharp angle.

' 2. The combination aS in claim 1, wherein said "integral abutment is of 'arcuate shape, corresponding to the inner curvature of the upper rim of the drinkingglass. 7

3. A drinkingtube for the use of invalids and children, comprising a tube bent at an obtuse 3 angle, said obtuse angle being adapted to be positioned Within the glass with which it is used, said angle being adapted to be positioned just below the upper edge of a drinking glass in which the tube is used, the tube being provided with an annular integral collar positioned just beyond the obtuse bend when considered from the bottom end of the tube, said collar extending outwardly from the tube a sufficient distance to engage the inside upper rim of a drinking glass for prevent- 10 ing the tube from sliding out of the glass when the glass is tipped at a sharp angle.

TROY L. JONES.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 

